a. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an overload relay with input and output leads provided on opposite sides of the relay housing as well as auxiliary switch terminals associated with a front side thereof.
b. Description of the Prior Art
In a known overload relay of the above-mentioned kind (DE-GM No. 79 10 658) auxiliary contact input terminals for break and make contacts are arranged on the input side of an overload relay and the output leads for these auxiliary switch terminals are arranged on the output lead side of the overload relay. Since the relay is generally installed at a contactor or breaker, the auxiliary contact terminals are usually relatively inaccessible. In addition, the relay is generally equipped with two auxiliary contacts a break contact and a make contact, although the break contact would be sufficient for many cases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the overload relay of the above-mentioned type with respect to the accesibility of the auxiliary contact terminals and also of the equipment of the relay with auxiliary contacts in general. This is achieved in a simple manner by providing break contact terminals which are arranged at the same height as the input-lead terminals and the fixed contacts and form the fixed contact for a contact bridge. The bridge is held, spring-loaded in a slide, movable transversely to the front side. The slide holds a second contact bridge which cooperates as a make contact with fixed-parts of the auxiliary contact which can be inserted into the housing. The fixed contact parts are held in an additional block which is secured to the housing and which also holds the make contact terminals. A simple arrangement of fixed contacts and the contact bridge is obtained if the second contact bridge is held behind the first one in the slide, pointing away from the front side. A contact position indicator for the overload relay can be provided without further cost. The slide has an extension which can be coupled to the contact position indicator provided in the additional block. Simple and inexpensive production of this contact position indicator is obtained if the contact position indicator consists of a one-piece angular plastic lever with a molded-on plastic spring. The overload relay can be easily tested if interlocking means of the slide can be decoupled by a test slide movably guided in the supplemental building blocks. A simple engagement of the additional block with the overload relay can be realized if the additional block is installed instead of a lateral housing cover.